I wonder what in 100 years from now it will be, London. The city that privatised itself to death. Abandoned to nature, maybe, the whole place a massive, feral version of that mimsy garden bridge over the Thames currently being planned by the giggling classes. Poor London, the ancient and forgotten metropolis, crumbling slowly into an enchanted urban forest. Imagine. In 2115, all the lab-conjured animals in Regent’s Park Jurassic Zoo are free to roam, reliving their evolution. A diplodocus there, grazing in the jungled Mall. Look, a stegosaurus asleep in the ruins of Buckingham Palace. High above the forest canopy, a lone archaeopteryx soars, where once hundreds of drones glided through YouTubed firework displays. Perhaps eminent historians will study London in the early 21st century, see how its poorer inhabitants were driven out, observe how its built environment was slowly boiled to death by privatisation. And they will wonder why people tolerated this transfer of collective … [Read more...] about The city that privatised itself to death: ‘London is now a set of improbable sex toys poking gormlessly into the air’
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Privatised cities: share your experiences
From “public” spaces owned and regulated by corporations to gated communities and riverside spaces only accessible to a select few, our cities are becoming increasingly privatised. We’d love to hear your experiences and see your examples of how cities around the world are becoming more private, exclusive and even hostile. Share your photographs, videos and stories and we’ll collect the best on Guardian Cities. Just click on the blue ‘Contribute’ button, or if you’re out and about you can download the free GuardianWitness app for smartphones. GuardianWitness is the home of user-generated content on the Guardian. Contribute your video, pictures and stories, and browse news, reviews and creations submitted by others. Posts will be reviewed prior to publication on GuardianWitness, and the best pieces will feature on the Guardian site. Topics Cities GuardianWitness assignments Gentrification Social exclusion Share on … [Read more...] about Privatised cities: share your experiences
Michelle Pfeiffer looks supremely chic in a plaid blazer alongside Millie Bobby Brown and Paris Hilton at WWD Beauty Awards in New York
She's a highly coveted actress with a lengthy resume in the entertainment industry. And Michelle Pfeiffer looked every-inch the superstar as she stepped out for the WWD Beauty Inc Awards in New York City on Tuesday night. The 61-year-old actress sported a chic plaid blazer and was joined by Millie Bobby Brown and Paris Hilton at the star-studded event in Manhattan. Beautiful: Michelle Pfeiffer looked every-inch the superstar as she stepped out for the WWD Beauty Inc Awards in New York City on Tuesday night Michelle exuded elegance wearing a pleated chiffon skirt which draped down past her knees and was paired with light grey booties. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Michelle Pfeiffer, 61, is an ageless beauty in stunning... Ryan Reynolds is stuck inside of a video game in the new... Paris Hilton teases a glimpse of her cleavage in a... EXCLUSIVE 'No one does Christmas better than Kathy!' Nicky... Share this article Share 51 shares She kept warm … [Read more...] about Michelle Pfeiffer looks supremely chic in a plaid blazer alongside Millie Bobby Brown and Paris Hilton at WWD Beauty Awards in New York
How to create your own country – a beginner’s guide
Bougainville has voted overwhelmingly for independence from Papua New Guinea, but what happens next when you want to become an independent state? What do you have to do to become a new country? Who needs to recognise you as independent? There isn’t a simple step-by-step guide in law to creating a country but the right to the self-determination of people is recognised in the charter of the UN. A territory becomes a sovereign state when its independence is recognised by the UN. That usually means that whoever the territory used to legally belong to has agreed – or been forced to agree – that it is no longer theirs. Along with recognition, you need the basic building blocks of statehood: a constitution, a head of state, and a government. You also need some kind of diplomatic service in place in order to have relations with other states. And, while there are about 22 countries that do not have them – Andorra, Liechtenstein and Samoa among them – you will … [Read more...] about How to create your own country – a beginner’s guide
Public spaces in Britain’s cities fall into private hands
When it opens this week, Granary Square will be one of the biggest public spaces in Europe – a focal point for the regeneration of King's Cross, a neglected part of London. It will be managed in a private estate of 10 plazas and parkland near the rail hub.makes this clear. "Welcome to King's Cross," it reads. "Please enjoy this private estate considerately." Over the past decade, large parts of Britain's cities have been redeveloped as privately-owned estates, extending corporate control over some of the country's busiest squares and thoroughfares. These developments are no longer simply enclosed malls like Westfield in White City or business districts like Broadgate in the City of London – they are spaces open to the sky which appear to be entirely public to casual passers-by. It appears from the scale of the change that privatisation of space is now the standard price of redevelopment. There are privatised public zones across Britain, including Brindleyplace in … [Read more...] about Public spaces in Britain’s cities fall into private hands
